ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · game · bay · mug · degree · file · safe · mate

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. degree — an amount
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wound — an injury
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mate — a partner
  16. game — a match
  17. mug — a face
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a document
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — temperature
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com